Housecarl (25 page)

By the time we reached the
Earl’s home my mind was, once again calm. The Earl had taken over
the old Roman headquarters building, which was a fine stone
structure built in the Roman rather than the Danish style. It was
one of the Housecarls who opened the door and he grinned at the two
of us. Somehow it made me feel much better; I now had friends,
friends who would give their lives for me; what did I care for
Edwin and his brood?

The whirlwind that was Ealdgyth
rushed up to me.  “I have prepared Gytha to greet you.”

I looked at her in panic. 
“You have not told her?”

“You goose! I am not Earl
Harold! I am a woman and know what it is to be in love. Go and woo
her.”

“But Earl Harold said…”

“Earl Harold knows the correct
way to hold a spear and that is all.  Now go!”

When I entered the chamber set
aside for our visit I saw that the Earl’s wife had made sure that
we were alone but the inside was all functionality.  There
were two high backed chairs and a table.  The lady Gytha sat
at one of the chairs.  When I approached she leapt to her
feet. My first view of her since that day so long ago in Winchester
confirmed that she made my heart sing and my head light.  She
was a little thinner and gaunter but that had merely accentuated
her beauty.  Her smile, however, made the dour room spring to
life as though someone had brought in a vase of flowers.

“My lady…”

I had waited so long to see her,
I had badgered so much to meet her and I had dreamt so long of the
moment that I was suddenly tongue tied and I just stood there with
my arms open.

She took my hands in hers and
inclined her head to the side.  The magic of her touch made my
skin tingle.  I felt just as I did before the shield wall
advanced full of joy and fear all at the same time. I tried again.
“My lady I have thought about you every day since we first
met.  I know that I am a lowly lord of a small parish and you
are a high born lady from a powerful family but I would, if you
would have me, woo you.” When the words tumbled out I felt
foolish.  I had meant to say ‘marry’ but the word woo had
erupted from my mouth and sounded pathetic.  I looked to the
ground shamefaced. “I am sorry my lady for I am a tongue tied
warrior who knows not how to speak to someone as beautiful as
you.  Please say that you are willing to see me again I beg of
you.”

In answer she leaned up and,
standing on tip toe for she was much shorter than I, she kissed me
gently and chastely on the lips. “My lord, I too, have dreamt of
you.  When I heard of your bravery in saving our king it only
confirmed my feelings for you.  Your lowly parish does not
worry me for I would be with you even in a cow byre. You do not
need woo me for I am yours already.”

“Then marry me.”

“Yes, my love, I will.”

Ealdgyth must have been standing
outside the room for she suddenly burst in, her face filled with
tears.  “You goose, I thought you had lost her! Woo her
indeed!” She kissed Gytha and then me. “We must see the Bishop and
have you married as soon as possible before the Edith Duck-legs
hears of this and tries to stop it.”

I looked confused as Gytha
giggled. “I think my lady is making fun for it is Edith
Swanneck.”

“I knew she had the name like
some ugly part of a bird.  No matter. Now you must be apart
until you marry that is proper.” I flashed a surprised look for I
remembered how she and the Earl had thrown themselves at each
other. She knew the look and shrugged.  “Aelfraed, Gytha has
never been married before.  Now go and buy some decent clothes
and I will send for you when the Bishop is ready.”

The Earl’s lady was like a force
of nature but she got things done and was as good as her
word.  Almost before I had time to turn around and change into
my new clothes the grinning Housecarl came to the inn with the
message that all was ready.

Ridley came with me as did
Aethelward, Ulf and my men at arms.  They were a little awed
to be in such a magnificent church with the Bishop conducting the
service.  When the Earls and the other lords entered I could
see from their faces that they thought they had been transported to
some fantasy land. I knew that it was a fantasy and the service
flew by in a blur. Ealdgyth had made a bedroom in their quarters
available to us and when we found ourselves alone, as the others
feasted and celebrated I suddenly felt frightened for I had never
been with a woman before.  I had heard the stories men told
but, as with all stories that men tell, I knew that most of it was
exaggeration. I wished I had spoken with Aethelward before we left
but then this was out of his area of expertise as well.

The room, thankfully, was lit by
just two candles and the half glow allowed us move towards each
other half hidden. I enfolded her in my arms and noticed again, how
small she was.  I leaned down and kissed her on the lips as
she had kissed me. This time we pressed in hard to each other and I
felt her lips part slightly and a tiny tongue darted to touch mine.
I felt as though I had grabbed a burning brand and a shock of
excitement raced through my body.  I felt something I had
never felt before.  Suddenly we were both taking our clothes
off and climbing on to the bed. The sheets seemed icy against our
hot bodies but neither of us cared.  I knew not what Gytha was
feeling but if it was only half of what I felt then she would be
ecstatic. Despite the fact that neither of us knew exactly what we
were doing our bodies did and as I entered her for the first time
she gave a small moan of pleasure and then just as suddenly as it
had started she gave a squeal of delight and I was spent. We lay
back on the bed and she nestled her head in the crook of my arm. I
kissed her gently on the eyes and said, “Gytha, I love you.”

She leaned up and kissed me on
my lips, “And Aelfraed, I have loved you since the day I first saw
you.”

Thus I was married and the next
year was the happiest of my life.

Maiden Bower 1065

When we returned to Topcliffe,
accompanied by my uncle, Thomas and his good wife were delighted to
have a lady of the manor. I was, of course, given looks of
disapproval for not having warned them so that they could prepare
the house.  I have to admit that it showed it had been created
by a man and was both martial and functional in nature.  There
was no natural light save for an arrow slit in each of the walls.
Fortunately that was easily remedied as the upper walls were wooden
and we soon had more light.  Gytha, for her part, was
delighted. For the past few years she had moved around the country,
first with Edith and latterly with Ealdgyth and to have such rough
clay with which to work made her clap her hands in glee.  When
I mumbled my apologies for the Spartan nature of the room she
hugged me. “No husband! I would not have it any other way for the
home is my domain and I can do with it as I like.”

As a high born lady and a
relative of the Earl we had been given a substantial dowry and the
first thing we did was to send Thomas’ wife, Sarah, with Gytha and
an escort of men at arms to purchase all that she needed to make
the house a home.  Aethelward and I toured my lands and he
made many comments about possible improvements.  As we neared
my boundary which ran along the Roman road he looked into the
distance.

“Let us visit Medelai.”

I had often thought, myself,
that I might like to visit it now that my family was no longer
there. “If you want to uncle.”

He looked into the distance and
spoke without turning as we rode. “It is the Earl’s wish for now
that the family has fled and been declared traitors, it becomes the
property of the crown. It has been given to me.”

I was delighted for Medelai was
a neighbour, not as close as Coxold but to have Aethelward as close
as that… “Will you live there?”

He shook his head.  “I am
no farmer.  I am a strategos and I would have refused it but
for the memory of your mother.  It will, in some way, repay
the pain she suffered at your… at Edwin’s hands. No I go to see
Ridley’s father and arrange the business side of the estate.” He
glanced at me.  “If you remain in the area then I would
appreciate your keeping an eye on it for me.”

“Of course.” There was an
underlying message in his words. “You say if I remain in the
area.  Why should I not?”

Even though we were out in the
open he lowered his voice. “I told you that war is coming and that
may well be in the south if Duke William comes to claim that which
he believes he was promised by the king.” King Edward’s sojourn in
Normandy had made him lean towards all things Norman and now it was
coming back to haunt him. “You are too valuable a warrior to waste
your time kicking your heels in the north.  If war comes you
and your men will be needed at the Earl’s side, at my side.”

We rode in silence.  I had
not thought of myself as a valuable warrior.  I was not yet
ready to hang up my axe for I had not even reached my prime but
having taken a wife I was ready to play the dutiful husband. 
When war did come I had assumed it would be the Scots from the
north and I would be defending my land.  I would have to
rethink my position and discuss it with Gytha.

The estate had a forlorn feel to
it.  My father had rarely been there before but at least Oswin
had kept it looking well.  There were few workers in the
fields as we rode up to the gates of the hall.  Osbert bowed
to Aethelward who came straight to the point, “the king has decided
that for his rebellion against him your master and his family have
forfeited this estate which now belongs to me.” He flourished the
legal document before Oswin but did not allow him to read it. He
looked around at the yard. “Things do not look good Oswin. Do I
need a new Steward?”

Oswin paled. He had a
comfortable home and lifestyle.  If he were to be thrown off
the land he would have nowhere to go. “No my lord but when the
master left many of the men went with him and…”

“And you could not be bothered
to hire new ones.” He leaned down from his horse to put his face
close to the Steward’s. “I am going back to Winchester but I am
leaving the Thegn of Topcliffe to watch out for my affairs. 
It is not far and you will visit him once a week with a report on
the estate and any profits which have accrued.”

He looked puzzled.  “I do
not know the Thegn of Topcliffe my lord how…”

I had been waiting for this
moment, “Oh but you do Oswin for I am he and should I be absent
when you call then travel down to Coxold and report to the Thegn of
Coxold for you know him also.” I paused dramatically, enjoying the
tension and the cruelty of my next statement, “for he is Ridley,
your son.”

I thought I had gone too far and
the Steward’s heart would stop and he would drop down dead at our
feet but he recovered himself. “Congratulations my lord.” He turned
to Aethelward. “It shall be as you command my lord.”

“I will take the estate accounts
with me to read at my nephew’s demesne.  They will be returned
to you when I have scrutinised them.”

Whilst Oswin was not happy about
losing the documents he had no recourse.  I suspected he would
have preferred to have some time to adjust them but this way
Aethelward would see them, warts and all. This was confirmed as we
rode back to Maiden Bower. “I am not  a man for figures and
roods and the like.  Is your man sound?”

“Thomas? He is everything Oswin
should be but is not.”

“Good then I will let him look
at them and give me a report. I am not a man to read columns of
figures,” He grinned.  “I was just trying to put the wind up
the old bastard anyway.  I never liked the way he treated
Ridley and you.”

I laughed.  “Will you be
advising the Earl then?”

“Yes but I think he will soon be
king for Edward is not well and speaks to his priest more than his
advisers.”

As we rode east towards my land
I could see that the summer was over and the first signs of autumn
were upon the land.  If Edward was ill now then the winter
would surely finish him off as it did with many old folk during the
harsh winters of Britain. “When the king dies I want you to bring
your men down to London.  The Earl will need your
support.”

“And Gytha?”

“She too, nephew, for the Earl’s
lady is fond of her and she will be safe there.”

“What of my lands?”

“Remember Aelfraed that the
lands were given to you by the crown, besides, Ridley could watch
them for you could he not?”

It had never occurred to me that
I might be fighting without Ridley by my side. How different from a
couple of years ago when we tramped around Wales and only thought
about surviving the next combat and now we had estates and people
to worry about. I began to envy Osgar and Wolf who still enjoyed
their lives as Housecarls. “Of course, I trust Ridley with my
life.

Aethelward stayed for a week
before a messenger arrived to say that the Earl was returning
south. Gytha had made a great fuss of my uncle; she had had more
contact with him at court and she knew him to be a true and
honourable warrior.  As she said to me one night as we cuddled
beneath the linen she had bought, “I have seen many deceivers and
flatterers but you and your uncle are not among them.  In
these troubled times it is good to have a rock on which to
rely.”

She threw her first feast on my
uncle’s last night at Maiden Bower. She invited Ridley and Osbert.
I think Branton was a little put out but the room we used was not
large. Already my lady was making plans to have a bigger hall
built. It felt strange to be sat at the head of the table facing my
wife with my three guests arrayed down the side. Sadly it was one
of the few times we were able to do that at Maiden Bower. My three
friends made a great fuss over Gytha who loved every minute of
it.  At court she had been ignored as the more powerful
ladies, Edith and Ealdgyth were the nectar for the butterflies.
Ridley seemed as much in love with my wife as I was and he watched
her every move.